SHAHJALAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Department of Chemical engineering and Polymer science

Course Code: CEP 220

(Heat Transfer Sessional)

Experiment no:01
Lab report on: Thermal conductivity of metal plate.

Submitted To: Submitted by: Group 05

Name Reg no:

Md. Mohibul Alam i. Afia Anzum Irina 2015332018

Associate professor
ii. Mukthadir Shawon 2015332019
Md. Humayun Ahmad
Assistant Professor.
iii. Pinak Chowdhury 2015332024
Department Of iv. Roni Basak 2015332030
CEP, SUST.
v. Mir Akram Fahim 2015332036

vi. Sumaiya Nafis 2015332045

Date of submission: 31.10.2017

 Contents:
SL NO: TOPICS: PAGE NO:
01. COVER PAGE 01

02. CONTENTS 02

03. INTRODUCTION 03

04. OBJECTIVE 03

05. THEORY 03-04

06. APPARATUS 04

07. PROCEDURE 04

08. EXPERIMENTAL SET UP 04-05

09. DATA COLLECTION 06

10. RESULT AND DISCUSSION 07

11. CONCLUTION 07

12. REFRENCES 07

13. LAB DATA 08

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 1. Introduction:
Conduction, convection and radiation are basic modes of heat transfer. When
a temperature difference exists in a stationary medium, which may be in solid, heat transfer
occurs due to conduction across the medium. [1]
By conduction heat spontaneously flows from a body at a higher temperature
to a body at a lower temperature. In the absence of external driving fluxes, temperature
differences disappear over time and the body approaches thermal equilibrium. [2]
Thermal conductivity is a physical property of materials of great importance.
Unlike some physical properties, however, thermal conductivity cannot be directly measured. In
order to determine a material's thermal conductivity, intermediate quantities must be determined
from which the conductivity may be ultimately calculated. [3]
So here in this experiment thermal conductivity of a metal plate was
determined through the use of temperature difference of water. Fouriers law of thermal
conductivity was applied to determine the thermal conductivity of that metal plate.
2. Objective:
The objective of this lab was to determine the thermal conductivity through a
metal body. To do so,
The flow of heat through sample of that metal body to be examined.
By determining the temperature differences of the waters situated in between two sides of
that metal body, total heat conduction was determined.
This report presents the findings of the lab. The complete experimental procedure is detailed, the
data retrieved is analyzed, and the accuracy of the findings as discussed.
3. Theory:
Conduction is the mechanism of heat flow in which energy is transported from the
region of high temperature to the region of low temperature by the drift of electrons, as in solids
[4]
. Therefore, metals are good conductors of electricity are also good conductors of heat.
In gases and liquids, conduction is due to the collision and diffusion of the
molecules during their random motion. The rate of heat conduction is proportional to the area
and the temperature difference, and inversely proportional to the thickness of the material. The
constant of proportionality is the thermal conductivity. In gases and liquids conduction is due to
the collision and diffusion of the molecules during their random motion. [5]
Thus, the thermal conductivity, k, of a material is defined as the rate of heat
transfer through a unit thickness of the material per unit area per unit temperature difference. [6]
Therefore, it is a measure of how fast heat will flow in the material. A large value for thermal
conductivity indicates that the material is a good conductor, and a low value indicates that the
material is a poor conductor or a good insulator. The thermal conductivities of materials vary
with temperature. This variation, for some materials over certain temperature ranges, is small
enough to be neglected; but for many cases, such as liquids and gases, the variation of the
thermal conductivity with temperature is significant. the conduction law is based on
experimental observation by Biot and named after Fourier. [7]
The Fourier law states that the rate of heat flows by conduction in a given direction (in x
direction) is proportional to:
The gradient of temperature in that direction dt/dx.
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 The area normal to the direction of heat flow, A
Then for heat flow in the x direction, we have,

Qx= - KA dt/dx
Where,
Qx= Flow rate of heat in x direction.
A= area of that metal plate.
dt= temperature difference.
dx= thickness of the plate.
K= thermal conductivity.
4. Apparatus:
Required apparatus for determining the heat conduction of metal plate is given bellow:
a. Thermometer.
b. Hot and cold water.
c. Stop watches.
d. Wooden frame.
e. Measuring machine.

5. Procedure:
At first, the experimental metal plate in a frame situated inside middle of the box was
filled.
Then the side of the wooden frame which is fixed temporarily with the plate was
blocked so that water cannot pass between the chambers.
Before starting the experiment the cover was placed to ensure a close system.
After that, the chamber with 10 liters of hot water after measures a proper
temperature.
Then the second chamber with cold water at room temperature.
The temperature of the cold water was measured.
After 10 minutes temperature reading of both the fluids in the device was taken.

6. Experimental Setup:
To calculate heat conductivity, we need apparatus of steel plate laid in the middle of a
wooden box that would allow space for filling hot and cold water on both side of the steel
plate thus conduction of heat to occur.

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 Figure 01: Determination of thermal conductivity of steel. (three dimensional)

Figure 02: Determination of thermal conductivity of steel. (two dimensional)

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 7. Data collection:
From the Fouriers law:

Q= -KA dt/dx

Where, Q= Flow rate of heat.

Qx= Flow rate of heat in x direction.
A= area of that metal plate.
dt= temperature difference.
dx= thickness of the plate.
K= thermal conductivity.
Determination of q:
Q = q/t
where,
q= heat flowed to cold water from hot water.
q = ms
where,
m= mass of cold water.
s = specific heat of water.
= final temperature of cold water initial temperature of cold water (1-
2)
t = time to rise the temperature.
Table for measuring K: tabulated value of thermal conductivity based on
the temperature difference of cold water is given bellow:

SI NO: Mass of cold Time q = q/t Temperature Thickness of Area, K= - Average of
/
water, t difference between the plate, x A K
m hot and cold water, W/m.
T

-3 .0611
01. 10 kg 600 s 140 08 .5x10 .0611
-3
02. 10 kg 600 s 140 06 .5x10 .0611 .04909 .207
-3
03. 10 kg 600 s 140 04 .5x10 .0611 .286

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 8. Result and discussion:
o Thermal conductivity of that metal plate was= .207 W/m.
o But standard thermal conductivity of steel= 50.2 W/m.
So,
..
o Error rate in this experiment= .
100%
= 99.5876494% (appx)
The experimental discussion is given bellow:
Here, in this experiment the thermal conductivity of given metal plate was
determined. But after getting the required result about 99% error was found.
The prior fault that was in our supplied apparatus. The wooden box wasnt perfectly
preferable for the experiment.
There was a lot of holes in that wooden box and side by side that box was too old to
find the accuracy.
The result may be 100% accurate if perfect apparatus was supplied.
9. Conclusion:
Thermal conductivity is a very important and major topic in the study of heat
transfer. The numerical value of the thermal conductivity indicates how fast heat flow in a given
material. The variation of thermal conductivity(K) with temperature is significant for many
cases. [8]
It is recommended that future versions of this experiment take steps to minimize
the impact of these possible error sources. The sample rods should be properly insulated to
minimize radiated heat loss. Rods should also be longer with more points of heat measurement
along their length, so that slight errors due to defective or improperly inserted thermocouples
will have a less significant impact on the final averaged results.

10.References:
1. Kaye, J.P.l and Higgins, W.F., The Thermal Conductivities of Certain Liquids,
Proceedings of Royal Society London, (1928) Vol. 117, PP- 459-460
2. zisik, M.N., Elements of Heat Transfer, McGraw-Hill, New York, (1988), PP- 02-03.
3. zisik, M.N., Elements of Heat Transfer, McGraw-Hill, New York, (1988), PP- 04.
4. J.P. Holman (1963), Heat Transfer, McGraw-Hill, New York, PP- 06-07.

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 11.Lab data: The experimental data that we got from laboratory is attached
bellow:

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